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12 unusual facts about Freedom of the City


4th Regiment Royal Artillery

The Regiment's main recruiting area is in the North East of England, and so significant effort has been put into re-establishing links, especially to the city of Sunderland where the Regiment holds the Freedom of the City.

Enriqueta Augustina Rylands

On the same day, she was admitted to the Freedom of the City of Manchester, the first woman to be so honoured.

Gustav Schickedanz

He was later rehabilitated and in 1952 was awarded a "citizen's medal" by the city of Fürth; in 1959 he was made an honorary citizen, the equivalent of being given the keys to the city.

Hans Ehard

In 1957 he was made an honorary citizen of city of Munich, the British equivalent being Freedom of the City.

Henry Trelawny

Made a freeman of Portsmouth in 1683 and East Looe in 1685, he was returned to Parliament in the latter year for West Looe as a Tory on the interest of his eldest brother, Bishop Trelawny.

Ian Rank-Broadley

A member of the Royal British Society of Sculptors (Associate 1989, Fellow 1994), Rank-Broadley was granted Freedom of the City of London in 1996.

Jake Seamer

He served as mayor of Marlborough twice, and as a justice of the peace, and was awarded Freedom of the City in 2001.

John George Graves

He became Sheffield's Lord Mayor and an Alderman in 1926 and he was given Freedom of the City in 1929.

Robin Moore

In recognition of his achievement in writing about the Special Forces, Moore was granted "Freedom of the City" by Hopkinsville Mayor Richard Liebe.

The Case of the Dean of St Asaph

Although the case did not directly lead to legal change, it was nevertheless widely seen as a victory; upon his release Shipley was greeted with fireworks and bonfires, and Erskine was rewarded with the Freedom of the City of Gloucester.

Erskine appealed the decision to the Court of King's Bench on 8 November, where the judges again ruled that juries could not decide whether material was libellous, but nevertheless released Shipley on a technicality; his freedom was greeted with fireworks and bonfires, and Erskine was rewarded with the Freedom of the City of Gloucester.

Town Moor, Newcastle upon Tyne

Freemen of the city have the right to graze cattle on the moors, the rental income is distributed through the Town Moor Money Charity.


Collier Twentyman Smithers

He was a Freeman of the City of London, being admitted to the Worshipful Company of Turners in 1893.

Doug Hoyle, Baron Hoyle

Lord Hoyle, already a Freeman of Gibraltar, was awarded the Gibraltar Medallion of Honour, in March 2010, for being a 'supporter of Gibraltar and its people'.

Greg Upchurch

Since he lived in Kingston, Oklahoma as a child, Upchurch was awarded the Key to Oklahoma City in 2001 for his various contributions as a member of Puddle of Mudd.

Herbert Lewis

Lewis was made a Privy Counsellor in 1912, a freeman of the towns of Flint and Aberystwyth, Constable of Flint Castle, honorary LL.D of the University of Wales in 1918.

Margaret Simey

She also served as a magistrate in Liverpool, was awarded an honorary doctorate of the University of Liverpool for her services to the community, and in 2002 was offered the honour of Freeman of the City of Liverpool, but declined.